The Career and Technical High School (CTHS) is an application-based school of choice serving students in grades 9-12 in a full day school setting.

Students will receive core course instruction (Mathematics, English/Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies), elective course instruction (Languages Other Than English, Health, Art) and highly specialized Career and Technical course instruction in a career program of their choice.

Students will also have the opportunity to fulfill their Art and Physical Education course requirements at the Career and Technical High School. They may also choose to participate in a performing Fine Arts or Athletic program at their home comprehensive high school, although it will not always be possible or convenient. A UIL class on the zoned campus may not be offered at a time that is compatible with students’ CTHS schedules or shuttle bus transportation. However, students may be able to compete in some UIL events without participating in the related class.

The Career and Technical High School is organized around six career academies with specific career-oriented programs and pathways within each academy.The six career academies are:

Specific career-oriented programs are taught within each of the six career academies.

Each career-oriented program has a total number of available seats.

Each of the five PISD comprehensive high schools will be allocated a specific number of seats in each career program.

The number of seats allocated to a particular high school is based upon that campus’ total student enrollment as a percentage of the total high school student enrollment for PISD. This will ensure that students from each high school have an opportunity to participate in each career program and academy.

The number of available seats within a specific career program will be determined by the vacancies created by graduates, current students changing their pathway, and students choosing to return to their home campus.

Students must complete and submit all application materials by the application deadline.

At the closing of the application period, the completed applications are sorted by the student’s requested career program.

If the number of applicants for a specific career program is fewer than the number of available seats, then all eligible students will be accepted.

If there are more applicants than available seats for a specific program, then all applicants for that program will be awarded points on a new applicant rubric and may be invited to participate in an interview process. Some students will be granted admission following the personal interview.

All students with a completed application will receive notification of their acceptance for admission to the Career & Technical High School.

Students selected for admission will receive an acceptance letter and parent/student agreement form.

If the acceptance letter is returned as “undeliverable”, the offer to attend the Career & Technical High School may be forfeited. It is critical that accurate mailing addresses be provided and any address changes communicated clearly to the Career & Technical High School.

Students and parent(s)/guardian(s) must sign and return the agreement form by the date specified. Failure to return the agreement form by the due date may result in the removal of the admission offer to the student.

No. Since the Career & Technical High School is a school of choice open to all high school students within the district, there is no reason for a student to submit a transfer. If the Career & Technical High School becomes aware that a student has transferred to gain an advantage for the purposes of admission, the offer of admission will be immediately revoked and the student returned to their last high school campus of enrollment.

Beginning in the 17-18 school year, students in the incoming freshman class (Class of 2021) will not shuttle to their zoned high school campus to participate in extracurricular athletics or fine arts.

Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 who are currently participating will be allowed to continue the shuttle service at 4th and 7th periods only. The student’s grades earned while enrolled at the Career and Technical High School will be used to determine the student’s UIL eligibility status.

When the completion of a pathway is not a possibility, the CTHS administration will confer with the home campus administration to determine if a return for the student to the home campus is a viable option.

A student may submit a request to change their career program/pathway one time after acceptance to the CTHS.

The student must follow the required process for requesting a change in their career program/pathway as coordinated by the campus counseling center.

The student and parent(s) must understand that a change of program/pathway may result in a student having to take one or more prerequisite courses designed for students at a lower grade level and the possibility of completing courses during summer or evening school to create room within the student’s schedule for the newly selected career program/pathway courses.

Once a student begins their 11th grade year, the student must continue their chosen career pathway through to graduation.

Current students will have first priority to change their pathway before offers are made to incoming students.

Students will be served according to their Individual Education Plans (IEP) through instructional support in a regular classroom setting. Students whose Individual Education Plans indicate that they should receive modified content in a subject area will be served in a regular classroom setting with content modifications implemented by the teachers.

A special education transition counselor, support facilitation teachers, and special education case managers will ensure proper implementation of all Individual Education Plans.

Yes. There are numerous opportunities for students to participate in leadership, service and honor organizations. Career-Technical Student Organizations (CTSO’s) will be available in each academy and many specific career pathways. Clubs and organizations based on student interest may also be available.